Molecular identification of a forensically relevant blowfly species (Diptera: Calliphoridae) from the Nagpur region of Maharashtra, India

• Published in: Entomological research Vol. 51; no. 6; pp. 315 - 320
• Main Authors: Shinde, Apurva M., Mahakalkar, Archana L., Sapkal, Hemant P., Abd Al GAlil, Fahd Mohammed, Al‐Mekhlafi, Fahd A., Wadaan, Muhammad A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.06.2021; 한국곤충학회
• Subjects: Calliphoridae; Carrion; Chrysomya megacephala; Chrysomya rufifacies; crime; Cytochrome; Cytochrome-c oxidase; dead animals; death; Diptera; Entomofauna; Forensic science; forensic sciences; genes; Identification; India; Mitochondria; Phylogeny; postmortem changes; Species; species identification; 생물학; Maharashtra India; India
• ISSN: 1738-2297; 1748-5967; 1748-5967
• DOI: 10.1111/1748-5967.12513

Blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are widely distributed in many parts of the world. These flies have forensic importance, as they infest carrion soon after death; this helps not only to estimate the post‐mortem interval, but also other forensic interpretations. However, the forensic value of most entomofauna found at crime scenes is dependent on accurate species identification. Traditional identification of blowflies is based on morphology, but this has limitations when it comes to identifying degraded or damaged samples, or immature stages of the flies. To increase the accuracy of species identification, DNA‐based technologies have been applied. Molecular identification, using the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase I gene coupled with its phylogenetic analysis, has demonstrated the potential for rapid and accurate identification of Calliphoridae species. The present study used this process of molecular identification to identify blowflies collected from the Nagpur region (Maharashtra, India). Five flies belonging to two species ( Chrysoma megacephala and Chrysomya rufifacies ) have been identified by mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase I gene sequences, and have been added to GenBank [Accession nos: ‐ (MT502110, MT502109 Chrysomya megacephala ) (MT502108, MT502111 – Chrysomya rufifacies ) to aid researchers in the correct identification of blowfly species for future research or forensic applications.